Philmont, and why hiking is the greatest thing in the world.

I'm not as active as I used to be when it comes to going on to this site. I have a lot on my hands from moving, Philmont, and a sh*tload of other things. I figured i might as well just start doing random blogs here and there to clear my mind. anyways, here we go!

I am a scout. I have been a scout for as long as I can remember, and I hope that I continue to be one for as long as I can. Scouting is obviously not what it used to be - if you ask a scout to start a fire with two sticks he'll probably give you a funny look - but for the last 50-60 years, one place has continued to be a favorite of scouts around the country-
Philmont Scout Ranch.
for me, Philmont was twelve days in the new mexico backcountry, where we got to hike over 130 miles through a place known simply as "scouting paradise". If there is one thing that I want to remember, It's the place where the trees smell like butterscotch, the stars are the brightest, and the only worry you have is where the nearest mini bear is (mini bears are chipmunks and squirrels that are after your food).
I only have one really good picture of me there, and it's of me raising the flag at the tooth of time, on day nine of our trek (I think it was nine anyways)
you can see eight states from the tooth of time.
that guy in the red shirt and boonie with the flag is me. the two guys under the flag are some other guys from my crew. lastly, the two people behind me in green shirts are rangers - they work at philmont and help people not die out in the backcountry. the ranger with the camera is JJ. He's crazy. he carried his entire 60lb pack up the half-mile boulderfield/rock climb that is the final ascent to the tooth. he's who I am going to use to tell you guys why hiking, backpacking, and everything in between is so much fun.
he carried that pack up that hellish climb for one reason - because he could, and you get some serious bragging rights for doing so.
backpacking, hiking, and being outdoors in general isn't just about getting to see nature at it's finest - that's just a bonus. It's about hanging out with your friends (and people soon to be friends) and experiencing nature's finest with them.
So here's what I want you guys to do:
grab your friends, grab some coke/beers (if you guys are over 21 obviously), grab your camelbak, and go hiking down a local trail. Maybe look up some local wildlife and be able to point out more than grass and poison ivy. Maybe think about buying a nice tent (Alps has a tent called the Lynx 2 that like 90% of my troop has. it's awesome) and go camping. And maybe, just maybe, if you are really adventurous, buy yourself some proper backpacking gear and go backpacking.

Let me know if you guys want me to start writing a more stuff on how to do civilian style hiking/camping/ect. the fun way.